ATHLETICS: Magnolia senior class sends 17 more athletes to college

By Rob Tate, rtate@hcnonline.com

Updated
4:21 pm CDT, Thursday, May 3, 2018

Magnolia head coach Taylor Shiflett talks about seven members of the baseball team as they prepare to sign for various colleges during a signing ceremony at Magnolia High School, Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Magnolia. less

Magnolia head coach Taylor Shiflett talks about seven members of the baseball team as they prepare to sign for various colleges during a signing ceremony at Magnolia High School, Thursday, May 3, 2018, in ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

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Magnolia head coach Taylor Shiflett talks about seven members of the baseball team as they prepare to sign for various colleges during a signing ceremony at Magnolia High School, Thursday, May 3, 2018, in Magnolia. less

Magnolia head coach Taylor Shiflett talks about seven members of the baseball team as they prepare to sign for various colleges during a signing ceremony at Magnolia High School, Thursday, May 3, 2018, in ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

ATHLETICS: Magnolia senior class sends 17 more athletes to college

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MAGNOLIA - It was certainly a proud day to be a Magnolia Bulldog.

The bleachers were filled with family, friends and other well wishers of the Bulldogs Thursday afternoon as a large selection seniors made their college intentions official.

There were 17 total athletes draped in their new school colors proudly as their high school careers continue to wind down to graduation.

Magnolia campus athletic coordinator and head football coach Sterling Doty told the audience how special this class of seniors truly is during the ceremony.

"It's one that has set a high standard for future classes that come through here," he said.

Leading the charge were seven baseball players signing on the dotted line.

"It just continues the tradition that was started a long time ago when Dale Westmoreland was here," Magnolia head baseball coach Taylor Shiflett said. "We've had great baseball players and continue to have great baseball players. There's a tradition that this program produces great baseball players that go on to the next level and play in college."

Shiflett spent six years as an assistant coach for Westmoreland, so he had first-hand experience when this group of seniors were just coming up.

The seven that signed Thursday join Jordan Groshans (Kansas) and Adam Kloffenstein (TCU) who signed earlier this year.

"We have nine seniors that are signed and 18 seniors on the team," Shiflett said. "That just kind of gives you the indication of where this class is at. They are good enough players to keep and not cut when they were in ninth grade. They've continued to get better and better through hard work and dedication to the program. They deserve to be a part of it. They've been team players, coachable kids and hard working kids."

The next big group were the football players and that included three NCAA Division I-bound.

Athlete Reese Mason is headed to Texas A&M while long snapper Justin Mader inked with the University of Texas and punter Reid Bauer made things official with Arkansas.

Offensive lineman Christon Glover, who has played in a pair of All-American games, signed with Fullerton College while linebacker Karter King inked with Incarnate Word.

Doty told a story of when he took over the Magnolia job, he quickly made a trip to this highly-touted group.

"I came to see these guys on the first day as eighth graders," he said.

Glover was honored to sit with his teammates and sign during the ceremony.

"It was really special seeing them one last time before we off to college," Glover said. "It was really nice."

Christon's older brother Andrew plays for Fullerton, which won California Community College Athletic Association championship

"My brother put in a word with the coach to check out my film," Glover said. "They've kept in contact with me and seeing how I was doing grade-wise, athletic-wise. I got to go to the campus a couple weeks ago. It's a nice campus."

Magnolia's all-time leading scorer in basketball is headed to Baylor.

Jackson Moffatt scored 2,066 career points while with the Bulldogs and choose a preferred walk-on spot with the Bears.

"I'm grateful that Baylor is giving me this opportunity to walk on," he said. "I'm just going to go there, work hard and just see what happens. It's a cool thing just celebrate going to the next level with some of my teammates and coaches."

Moffatt had some glances from other smaller programs. But Baylor is what he had in mind.

"I just wanted to be a part of something big," Moffatt said. "I just love what Baylor is about with. Coach (Scott) Drew and Coach (Jerome) Tang - they run that program so well. I just wanted to be a part of it."

Brooke Mallory, a four-time first-team All-District selection for the Lady Bulldogs soccer team, signed with McNeese State during the ceremony.

Carson Knox from the boys soccer team inked with the Virginia Military Institute.